


The Wish

by prettysemmy



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Timeline, First Time, Fluff, M/M, POV Kaidan Alenko, Romance, Songfic, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-22
Updated: 2012-04-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 02:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/388668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettysemmy/pseuds/prettysemmy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan decides on a whim to make a wish on a wishing well. The answer doesn't hit him the way he thought it would, but it's probably better that way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wish

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to this song "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen and this fic was born. It's pretty fluffy and short, but I figured I would give it to the internet as a gift in mShep/Kaidan diversity. I enjoyed writing it. Also, apparently, it is a Shepard birthday fic. I didn't know that it was when I started writing it, I actually figured I would never write one. Shows how wrong I was. A little late on the birthday bus, but oh well, still the correct month...  
> Hope at least someone enjoys this silly little story. :)

Kaidan stared at the overly blue water, watched as the ripples made the coins at the bottom jump around. He sees the wobbly reflection of himself. Yeah, that's sort of how he feels, still all kinds of messed up inside. 

It had been a couple years but Kaidan still didn't really know what to do with himself. It had never really left his brain that he had murdered someone. That he was dangerous. That he'd lost Rahna. He knows he hasn't been the easiest person to be around, but he feels...well, he feels fucked up.

His mom had finally gotten sick of it and told him to take a break from work - a vacation, adventure, something. Well, here he was, Citadel, vacation, yay. It wasn't really helping anything. His brain was still stuck on repeat, but he was trying. For his mom, he was trying.

Okay, so maybe he wasn't trying hard _enough_. He had been staring at this fountain for the last half hour. It was one of those silly ones you were supposed to make a wish and throw a coin in. Like he'd ever do _that_. What would he even wish for? Go back and change things. Wish for Rahna. No.

He was lonely, sure. But Rahna had hurt him. She wasn't...she wasn't what he needed.

He needed...

What Kaidan needed was somewhere to fit. He was so tired of not fitting in, with himself, with anybody. So, what? Would he wish for somewhere to belong? Or maybe just someone to belong _with_. If he had someone, then maybe it wouldn't matter where he was as long as they were together?

Kaidan continued to frown at the water, but now that he'd picked a wish he felt kind of ridiculous. Was he really thinking about this? He shakes his head and huffs a laugh. Yeah, he's really thinking about this. Ugh. Oh, fine. What would it hurt?

Kaidan walks to the kiosk and donates money to the Orphans of the Citadel charity and gets a small medal coin for the wishing well.

He walks back over and stares at the fountain. So he's supposed to, what, say the wish in his head and throw the coin in? Kaidan shakes his head at himself again. Okay, fine. Here it goes. _I wish I had someone to belong with. I wish we could meet and be happy together and that anywhere would be great as long as we have each other_. Then he tossed the coin in. It makes a small plunk noise and sinks to the bottom. It's all a bit anticlimactic. And he stands there waiting for a minute, not sure if that's just it, and now he walks away and forgets about it?

"This is ridiculous," Kaidan says to himself and turns to leave. 

"Oh, Shit!" Kaidan hears a voice say and then someone runs into him. Hard. Kaidan steps back and then trips over the side of the fountain, falling back into the water dragging the other person with him.

Oh, fuck, cold water! He loses his breath for a second because of the cold and it lasts a second longer as the person lands on him. At least the water isn't deep so it's not too hard to get his head above water again.

"Are...are you okay?" Kaidan tries to say in between coughing up water. He tries to assess the person on top of him. The _boy_ on top of him. Wide bright blue eyes look back at him in surprise.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry about this," the kid says. He's maybe two or three years younger than Kaidan and he has a military haircut with a scar marring it. He has long eyelashes and full lips. Most people would probably consider him attractive.

"What were you doing?" Kaidan asks, but the kid is already looking around frantically.

"Shit, shit," the kid says, getting up really fast. He's looking back in the direction he came, and then he turns and looks down at Kaidan. "We've got to go," he says pulling Kaidan up roughly, "Come on. Run!" He grabs Kaidan's hand and practically drags him away.

Is this really happening, Kaidan thinks as he is running through the Citadel with some random guy? And who are they running from? He looks back at...C-Sec!? What!? This _can't_ be happening.

"Why are we running from C-Sec?" Kaidan asks breathlessly as they turn a corner. "What did you do?"

"I'll tell you, I promise, we just have to get away first, okay?"

"How?! They're almost here!"

"We just have to get on the rapid transit. They won't keep chasing us all over the Citadel."

"That's your plan?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Here, here, turn here." They turn around a corner into a store and the kid pushes him up against a wall. The C-Sec officers had lost sight of them, but then they started going into each of the stores.

"Shit." The kid says under his breath.

"Not what you expected them to do, huh?" Kaidan says, and has no idea why that comes out so playful. At least the breathless part makes sense, they've been running.

"Oh, shut up. We'll be okay."

"Hey, what are you kids doing?" The salarian store owner yells at them, catching the attention of the C-Sec officers.

"Time to go," the boy says, grabbing Kaidan's hand and they're off again, running and sliding into a rapid transit car.

But they aren't going to make it. The C-Sec cops are almost there and then before Kaidan really thinks it through; he sends a little push and trips up the C-Sec officers so they can't reach the transit in time. The door closes to yells of "You damn kids!"

"That was awesome!" The kid yells, smiling hugely at Kaidan.

"I can't believe I just did that," Kaidan says, eyes wide, not really sharing in the euphoria.

They catch their breaths for a second and then it's been long enough; Kaidan thinks he deserves some answers.

"So…?" He says with a hand motion.

The kid looks a bit guilty. "So, I might have...maybe...sort of...stolen...some food?" He says, each word quieter than before.

"You did what?!" Kaidan says alarmed. He just helped a thief get away with stealing!? Damn it. This is not what his mother had in mind when she told him to have an adventure. "I can't believe I helped you." But Kaidan likes to believe the best of people, is there any way that...? "Why did you do it?" Kaidan asks.

"Oh, you know," he waves his hand vaguely, "reasons."

Kaidan gapes at him. "Whatever," he says as the transit stops. Kaidan gets up and walks away from this guy and his "reasons" as quickly as possible without running.

"No, no, wait," the boy says and runs ahead to stand in front of Kaidan.

"You're in my way," Kaidan says.

"I'm sorry. It's really not like it sounds. I…"

"What _is_ it like then?"

"I don't like admitting it because, well," he runs a hand over his buzzed head, "because I want to look like a tough bad ass, okay. But since you kind of helped me get away with it, I'll tell you why I did it." He lets in and out a deep breath. "It's for the duct rats. The kids who don't have a home here on the Citadel. I'm not around here much, but whenever I am, I try to get them some supplies. I just didn't quite make enough from this last job, so..." he shrugs.

"So you stole it instead." Kaidan finishes for him.

"Yeah," he smirks at Kaidan like he really has no shame. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Right." Kaidan says, but he notices he isn't in a hurry to get away anymore. Away from this…"Who _are_ you?"

"Name's Shepard," he says with a big smile and holds out his hand.

Kaidan can't seem to stop his smirk at the kid's enthusiasm. There's just something _about_ this guy. "I'm Kaidan," he says, as he meets Shepard's outstretched hand with his.

"So, Kaidan," Shepard says his name like he's savoring the flavor of it. "I bet you're hungry. I'll get us some food and dry clothes."

"What?" Kaidan says, incredulous. "With the money you just told me you don't have? No way." Then he pauses, because is he really thinking about this? "I, uh...I can get us food and clothes," he finishes in a rush.

"What? No way. I got us into this mess; I've gotta fix it."

"It's alright," this is a stupid plan Kaidan, "I have a lot of money to spend," never admit that! "and there isn't really anything I want."

"No." Shepard says firmly, with a frown.

"Oh, just shut up and let me buy us dry clothes." Kaidan says and starts walking over to the nearest clothing store. It thankfully has stuff in their size; he hadn't really looked when he started walking.

Shepard follows but he's looking cross, with his arms across his chest, so Kaidan just goes to pick something out for himself.

"No, you are _not_ getting that." Shepard says when Kaidan picks up a pair of pants kind of like the ones he's wearing.

"What? Why not?"

"Because you need _this_." Shepard says, picking up a _very_ fitted pair of black pants.

"Uh, no. Those would look ridiculous on me."

"And by ridiculous you mean fantastic."

"I'm not getting those." Kaidan says flatly.

"Yes you are, or else I'm not going to let you buy me _any_ clothes _or_ food."

"You think I'm going to buy and wear these just so I can get _you_ clothes too?"

"Yeah," he says and it's annoying because he's right. Kaidan is going to buy them, and he's going to wear them, all so that Shepard will let Kaidan get him clothes too.

"Are you always this frustrating?" He feels the need to say.

"On a good day," he says smiling at Kaidan.

"Fine. Do your damage, but pick out something for yourself as well." Which were famous last words. The outfit Shepard picks out for him is a bit...tight. Thankfully it's more comfortable than it looks.

Shepard picks out substantially less showy clothes for himself, but at least Kaidan gets to buy him the N7 hoodie Shepard was trying to eye discretely. After they've changed and they're heading to food, Kaidan pulls it out of his bag and tosses it to him. "This is yours too."

"Hey, no! This is too expensive." Shepard says, slightly distraught.

"Too bad." Kaidan says, smiling. "It's already been purchased." He feels a little bit like he got Shepard back.

"Are you always this frustrating?" Shepard asks, looking torn between being upset with Kaidan and really excited about the hoodie.

"No, you just bring out the best in me I guess," Kaidan smiles at him.

Shepard isn't amused, but a small smile forms as if he can't help responding to Kaidan's. It looks really nice. Which makes it more of surprise when it falls off Shepard's face abruptly.

"Shit. I need your help." Shepard says, looking somewhere behind him. "There's this girl, she drives me crazy and thinks she's my girlfriend," Shepard says in a rush.

"You told her you weren't interested?" Kaidan says and starts to turn. Shepard reaches out to stop him.

"Yeah, she seems to think I'm playing hard to get."

Kaidan sighs, "How the hell am I supposed to help with that?" And then he wonders why he even _wants_ to help with that.

"Say you're my boyfriend." Shepard pleads.

"What?! No! I'm not even gay, Shepard."

"That doesn't matter. She just has to think I'm taken. She always says I'm lying when I tell her I'm with someone."

"Is that because you _are_ lying?" Kaidan asks dryly and Shepard finally lets him turn to see this girl. A pretty little asari apparently.

"Kaidan, please," Shepard says under his breath as the asari approaches them.

"Hi Shep." She says sweetly.

"Hello Deecia," Shepard says and then looks at Kaidan with these ridiculous pouty eyes.

Ugh, fine. "Hi. I'm Kaidan, Shepard's boyfriend."

"No, you're not." She says and then promptly ignores him and starts petting Shepard. Kaidan frowns. That was really rude. If Kaidan was _actually_ Shepard's boyfriend that would have _really pissed him off_.

"Actually, I am." He says, getting in between her and Shepard. "It's new, but it's a really romantic story of how we kind of _fell_ into each other's lives. I'm sure you'd love to hear it." Shut up Kaidan, shut up, you're taking it too far...

"Yes, in fact, I'd love to hear this totally fake story of how you started dating my future partner."

Oh, she was _really_ pushing his buttons. Okay, _fine_. Kaidan can do this. He turns to Shepard and says softly, "There I was, making a ridiculous wish on a fountain for someone. Someone to belong with and well, then Shepard runs right into me and we fall into the fountain together." 

A slow surprised smile forms on Shepard's face. He reaches over and laces their fingers together. Kaidan's body fees kind of warm. You know, because he's not used to lying like this...right?

"My lap was suddenly filled with this gorgeous guy and the most beautiful blue eyes are looking at me and I've never wanted to kiss anyone so much."

"Kaidan," Shepard tilts his head and looks at him curiously, "you've never told me this story before," he says a little seductively, "I'm sorry Deecia, but I have to go kiss the fuck out of my boyfriend right now. Another time, okay?"

She just frowns at him, still not completely sold. Kaidan thinks it must be because _he_ doesn't look believable because with the way Shepard is looking at him right now, if Kaidan didn't know better, he would have been totally convinced _Shepard_ was crazy about him. _That_ was definitely making him feel a bit warm.

"Didn't know you could be so romantic, baby," Shepard continues as he reaches up and cradles Kaidan's face. He leans forward _so_ slow, like he is giving Kaidan a chance to back out. And like hell he will, he isn't going to let that girl get her hands on Shepard.

Kaidan whispers, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me," and then he closes his eyes as their lips come together.

Shepard's lips feel really nice and when they open their mouths to each other, Shepard's tongue is even better. It's really not any different than kissing a girl except the small moans from Shepard are deep and Kaidan finds he really likes them.

After some amount of time, Kaidan lost the ability to tell how much, Shepard steps back. "So, uh, we should get some food, yeah?" He says weakly.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Kaidan says breathlessly. Neither of them comments on how they didn't even know when Deecia had left. Or that apparently it is now dusk.

"I should have known you were gay." Kaidan said as they finished eating. "You picked this outfit out for me. I look ridiculous."

"No you don't, you look great. Anyone would want to do you, not just me."

"Not just you..?"

Shepard clears his throat, "Hey, let's dance," he says and hops up and over to the dance floor. Then he starts dancing. Kaidan's eyes widen. Wow.

"Oh, you're horrible," Kaidan has to say.

"And by horrible you mean awesome."

"No, I really mean horrible." But Shepard has no shame, and he keeps dancing that same awkward dance.

"I'm inspiring. Admit it." Inspiring? Kaidan laughs. Yeah, it might be that.

"Oh, fine. Let me show you how to do this." Kaidan hops up to stand next to him. He grabs Shepard's hips and tries to move them with the music. They try for several songs, but it's really not working. At least Shepard does move well with _Kaidan_ , even if it doesn't fit the music _at all_. The next song is slower and it seems like Shepard is a bit better at just swaying.

But as they settle into each other, Kaidan is suddenly super aware of the distance between their lips, of Shepard's hand on his neck, the blue of Shepard's eyes and each breath they take, because for some reason they are breathing in tandem.

His breath catches as their hips slide together and he has to step back. He's still not sure how to handle this. Liking a guy is a bit of a change, but he likes Shepard. He likes Shepard _a lot_.

If it bothers Shepard that Kaidan's not letting them get too close, he doesn't show it. "Hey, I want you to come somewhere with me." He says, with a smile still on his face.

Kaidan follows, because, well, that's what they do apparently. Shepard leads them on some adventure and Kaidan follows. They end up leaning on a ledge overlooking the Citadel. A warm night breeze flows through his hair.

"It's really beautiful here." Kaidan says and then looks back at Shepard.

"Yeah, it is," he says, giving Kaidan a small smile. Then he looks back out at their view. "This is my favorite place on the Citadel."

They fall silent and Kaidan's just trying to puzzle out what happened today. Puzzle out Shepard. It had only been a handful of hours between the fountain and now, but it feels like so much more had happened.

"So, why are you stealing food for the duct rats?" he asks, because he's been wondering all day.

"They just needed some," Shepard says, like that's all it is. Somebody needs something, Shepard wants to help.

"You're really something, you know that." Kaidan says and realizes how ridiculously glad he is that Shepard ran into him. Shepard smiles at him for the comment and Kaidan notices they are _both_ having trouble not looking like smitten idiots.

"Thanks for this." Shepard says, with a little more serious tone. "For today. Um. It was my birthday." He looks back out at their view. "I turned eighteen today. I'm joining the Alliance tomorrow."

"The Alliance?" Kaidan says surprised. "You don't seem like the Alliance type."

"Yeah, well, they just don't know they want my type yet. They'll see. I'm gunna save the Galaxy and shit."

Kaidan smiles at him, "Yeah, I think you will." Shepard looks at him and gets a soft look on his face, like he really likes Kaidan's smile. 

Shepard takes a deep breath and then says, "I have to get going, but…" then he laughs at himself, "This is crazy. We just met, and I'm going away for a while, but um, here's my number. Uh, so call me, you know if you..." then he stops, lost for a second, before grabbing Kaidan around the waist and cradling his face, pulling their lips together in a deep kiss. "I just really want to see you again," Shepard whispers against his mouth when they pause.

"Uh, yeah," Kaidan says, distracted. He can't seem to take his eyes off of Shepard's lips.

Shepard leans in and kisses him deeply again. Then he steps backward, still looking at Kaidan. "See you around, I guess," he says and then turns and walks off. 

Kaidan finds Shepard's number in his pants pocket. He feels a goofy smile form on his face. The Alliance, huh? Maybe that would be somewhere Kaidan could belong. 

"Yeah, maybe I'll see you around," Kaidan says quietly as he watches Shepard walk away.


End file.
